The Loss of an Angel
by LittleFlatts
Summary: Oneshot. Briseis says goodbye to her feathered friend when she and the Winchesters learn of his and Crowley's deal. Set Season 6, Episode 20.


**A/N: Briseis is pronounced BRISS-see-us**

* * *

Ris paced the floor, her arms folded over her chest. A scowl was set firmly on her face. Her full lips were pressed together and her dark brows furrowed. She didn't like it.

"You're going to wear a trench in that floor, girl," Bobby warned. Her gray eyes narrowed and she glowered at him.

"This is _Cas_, Bobby-"

"He _knew_, Ris, he's been spying on us this whole time!" Dean snapped at the younger woman. She leveled him with her cold gaze.

Nobody could accuse Briseis Adams of disloyalty. She had a very select group of people of whom she could trust, and Castiel, the Angel of Thursday, was among them. She couldn't betray him. Ris refused to believe that Cas- good, just, moral Cas- could have hopped into bed with Crowley.

_Things have been different, Ris, ever since he started fighting against Raphael._

She blew out a long breath and ran an aggravated hand through her tangle of dark curls.

"I'm going for a walk. Text me when you want me back," she let the door slam behind her.

The cold autumn wind was harsh against her skin. Ris tugged her old, military surplus M-60 jacket tighter around her curvy frame. Her thoughts wandered to the moment she had first met Castiel.

Dean had just been pulled out of hell. It had scared the bejesus out of her, to pull up the driveway of some psychic's and see Dean standing on the front porch.

Ris smiled grimly at the memory.

* * *

_She immediately swung up her peacemaker and fired an iron round at him. Dean ducked out of the way. _

"_Hey! Ris! It's ok! It's him!" Bobby shouted, getting between her gun and Dean. _

"_Get out of the f*cking way, Singer!" she snarled, trying to maneuver around him. Dean was peeking his head over the porch railing. _

"_It's me, Rissy,"he assured her. She narrowed her hard gray eyes at him and lowered her gun slightly. That in itself was a good sign. Dean straightened. _

_"Alright, wiseguy, tell me only something _you_ would know," she ordered cynically. _

"_Your name is Briseis Rose Adams, we met when you were seventeen, after a spirit killed your dad, you took over the hunt and Bobby sent us. My dad used to call you Miss Rissy Rose. Do you want me to keep going?" he asked. Tears welled in her eyes and she ran forward to throw her arms around him. Dean had hugged her back just as tight. _

_"You son of a_ bitch_. Don't you ever f*cking do that again!" she cursed at him. He breathed a laugh and patted her back reassuringly. _

"_I don't plan to, Ris."_

_ Ris had waited outside while the men went to consult the psychic. She never liked psychics. They made her nervous as hell. About twenty minutes after they'd gone in, Dean and Sam ran out. _

"_Meet us at the Astoria Hotel!" Dean barked as they climbed into the Impala. Ris turned on her car and her radio began to whistle and screech. She slammed her fingers on the power button, but it wouldn't turn off. _

"_You...Listen!" _

_Ris felt the blood drain from her face as the static died down and faded into the country station that she'd had it on. _

* * *

_ "What happened in there?" was the first thing out of her mouth when she followed them into the hotel hallway. Dean shot a nervous look over his shoulder as he unlocked the room. He herded her inside, Sam following. _

"_Whatever yanked me out of hell, it just burned out Pamela Barnes' eyes," Dean said, obviously shaken. Ris's eyebrows shot up. _

"_What?" _

_They proceeded to tell her everything they knew, which wasn't a lot. Bobby had showed up by the time they were done. _

"_Wait, you said Castiel?" she frowned. _

_"That_ mean_ anything to you, girl?" Bobby raised his brows. Ris frowned in concentration, chewing her bottom lip. _

"_I don't think so...It just sounds familiar...I'm gonna go and see how late the library is open," and she had left them. _

_ The library in Pontiac, Illinois was empty. Ris headed into the 'Religion' section and began to pore over the old books, scrawling notes in her spiral bound notebook. _

_ After the librarian had kicked her out, Ris headed to an all night diner and sat in a corner booth, reading her dad's journal. She had just started back to the motel when her phone beeped. Dean had texted her an address. _

_ Bobby was spray painting symbols on the old barn when she arrived. _

"_What's going on?" Ris asked warily. _

_"We're summoning this Castiel," Dean shrugged, "You dig up anything at the library?" _

"_No. Are you sure this is a good idea? I mean, this thing's got some serious mojo if he can pull you out of hell, and if we don't know how to fight it-"_

_Dean gestured to the weapons across the rickety table. _

"_We've covered all the bases, Ris. Now, what do you say we ring the dinner bell?"_

_She exhaled slowly and shared a look with Bobby. _

"_Hey, I'm not gonna argue with him," the old man held up his hands defensively as he walked over to another table and picked up a bowl. Ris rolled her eyes exasperatedly as he began to chant in Latin. _

_ Ris jiggled her leg absentmindedly, peacemaker in her hands. It had been well over an hour, and despite her best efforts, exhaustion was beginning to take its toll on her. She felt weary. _

_"Are you sure you did the spell right?" Dean pressed for the third time. It seemed like he was getting impatient. He was like a toddler in that aspect, with a very short attention span. _

_Bobby just quirked his head, disbelieving look on his face as if to ask, 'Did you _ really_ just ask me that?'_

_Ris smiled tiredly at Dean. _

"_Sorry, ok? Touchy, touchy," he grumbled. _

_The wind picked up, lifting the sheet metal pieces that made up the roof of the barn. They all rose and lifted their eyes heavenward. "Wishful thinking, but maybe it's just the wind?" Dean suggested. Ris clucked and shook her head. _

"_When has our luck ever been that good, Dean?"_

_Then the overhead lights started to shatter. Ris ducked out of the way of the falling glass. The barn doors creaked open as sparks showered down upon the trio. A figure strode in easily. Both Dean and Bobby fired their shotguns, but the salt rounds did nothing. Ris pulled the trigger on her peacemaker, lodging an iron bullet right into the monster's heart, but he wasn't deterred. Dean picked up Ruby's knife and held it behind his back, stepping away from the intruder. Ris didn't lower her gun. _

_ The newcomer was tall with tousled black hair and wide blue eyes. He didn't _ look_ dangerous. But then again, they never did. _

"_Who are you?" Dean demanded. _

"_I'm the one who gripped you tight and raised you from perdition," the man said. Ris blinked and felt her lips twitch. That sentence could have been taken so many ways. _

"_Yeah," Dean said tensely, "Thanks for that."_

_Then he plunged the knife into the creature's chest. Dean went pale when he realized it had no effect. The dark haired man looked down at the knife, mildly interested, before pulling it out. Dean glanced at Bobby, mouth agape. The old man swung a tire iron around, but the thing caught it and turned, pressing two fingers to Bobby's forehead. He collapsed. _

"_Bobby!" Ris felt panic rising within her stomach. He turned his blue eyes to her, cocking a warning brow before turning to face Dean. _

"_We need to talk, Dean," he stated, "Alone."_

_Ris bent over Bobby and felt for a pulse. Relief flooded her when she felt it thrumming beneath her fingers. The dark haired man stepped aside when Dean approached Bobby. _

"_Your friend is alive. You should go," he directed to Ris as he flipped through the book Bobby had read the spell out of._

"_Bite me," was her only reply. Dean narrowed his eyes. _

"_Who are you?"_

"_Castiel," he didn't even look up. _

_"Yeah, I figured that much," Dean said coldly, "I mean_ what_ are you?"_

_Castiel looked up then and locked eyes with Dean. _

"_I'm an angel of the Lord."_

_Ris's jaw dropped as Dean stood. _

"_Get the hell outta here.. There's no such thing," he didn't sound so sure, though. Ris's mind was racing, going through everything she knew from her books. Castiel faced them, fixing them with an even look. _

"_This is your problem, Dean. You have no faith."_

_Thunder crashed from outside and lightning lit up the barn. The shadow of two wings appeared on the wall behind Castiel. Ris felt adrenaline course through her veins and she clutched her gun tighter. _

"_Some angel you are," Dean finally said grimly, "you burned out that poor woman's eyes."_

"_I warned her not to spy on my true form," Castiel told him, "It can be...overwhelming to humans...So can my true voice. But you already knew that," Castiel's blue eyes flitted over Ris. _

_"You mean the motel and gas station? That was you talking?" Dean raised his brows. Castiel nodded soberly. "Buddy, next time lower the volume," Dean complained. _

"_That was my mistake," Castiel ducked his head, chastised, "Certain people, special people, can perceive my true visage, I thought you would be one of them..I was wrong."_

_Dean nodded suspiciously, sneering, "And what visage are you in now, huh? The Holy Tax Accountant?"_

_Castiel looked down, straightening his hole ridden trench coat, "This? This is a vessel."_

"_You're possessing some poor bastard?" Dean demanded. Ris swallowed hard. _

"_He's a devout man. He actually prayed for this," Castiel said admiringly. Ris scoffed. _

" Riiight_" she said sarcastically. _

"_Look, pal, I'm not buying what you're selling. So who are you really?" _

_Castiel tilted his head quizzically. _

"_I told you," he said, confused._

"_Right, you're an angel," Ris snapped, "Then I'm the tooth fairy, and that guy you knocked out? Yeah, he's Santa."_

_Castiel frowned at her. _

"_Why would an angel rescue me from hell?" Dean demanded. _

_"Good things do happen, Dean," Castiel stepped closer to the pair. Ris raised her gun, her hands trembling. _

"_Not in my experience," Dean's voice was strangled. He was remembering everything bad that had happened. Sam dying, his Dad dying-_

"_What's the matter?" Castiel asked softly, "You don't think you deserve to be saved."_

"_Why'd you do it?" Dean ground out. _

"_Because God commanded it. Because we have work for you." _

_Then he vanished. _

_Ris and Dean stood very still for a long moment before she turned to him. _

"_You think all angels have a gigantic stick up their ass?"_

* * *

Her phone vibrated in her back pocket, drawing her out of her revery. While Ris had been thinking, the sun had sunk low in the horizon. She slowly made her way back to the building. Dean had broken out the whiskey and Sam was clutching a folder to his chest. All three men looked up in alarm when she entered. Dean sighed when he realized it was just her. He bowed his head.

"Castiel, we need you for a little powwow down here, so come on down," Dean told the room.

"Does it ever make you feel foolish to be talking to somebody that's not there?" Ris asked curiously. Wind rushed through the room and Cas appeared.

"I am here," he told Ris. Bobby twisted around.

"Johnny on the spot," Bobby commented. Ris leaned against the wall, hands stuffed in her pockets, refusing to meet the blue eyed gaze of the angel.

"You're still here," Cas realized, looking around the room.

"We had to bury the bodies," Sam said smoothly.

"And we found a little whiskey," Dean added, holding up his glass, "Thanks for coming."

Cas stepped forward.

"How can I help?" he wondered.

Sam opened up his folder.

"Look, we, uh, we have a new plan. We think we've finally figured out a way to track down Crowley," Sam said. Cas walked forward and Bobby stood.

"What is it?" Cas asked warily.

"It's you," Bobby struck a match and dropped it to the floor. Holy oil had been poured in a circle. Fire sprung up around the angel. He turned, shock clear on his face. His gaze traveled to each of them. Sam face was apologetic, Bobby's was grim, Dean's was regretful. Ris couldn't even look at him. Her eyes were firmly fixed on her black work boots.

"What are you doing?" Cas demanded. Dean stood.

"We gotta talk," he noted.

"About what? Let me go!"

Ris shifted uncomfortably.

"Dean-" she started. He shot her a silencing look.

"We're gonna talk about Superman," Dean said sarcastically, "and Kryptonite."

"How'd you know what I said?" Bobby asked coolly.

"How long have you been watching us?" Sam paced around the ring of fire.

"You know who spies on people, Cas? _Spies_," Dean spat.

"Okay, just _wait_! I don't even know what you mean!"

Ris looked up at him, her lips pressed into a tight line.

"Don't pull that shit, Castiel. I vouched for you, I figured we didn't know the whole story, but don't lie and say you had no involvement," she seethed, the firelight reflecting in her gray eyes.

"How is this demon crap-hole so 'next to Godliness' clean in here?" Sam challenged.

"And how exactly did Crowley trick you with the wrong bones?" Bobby leered. Cas looked down at his shoes.

"It's hard to understand- It's hard to explain. Just let me out of here and I can-"

"You gotta look at me, man," Dean cut him off quietly. Cas immediately raised his eyes. "You've gotta level with me and tell me what's going on. Look me in the eye and tell me you're not working with _Crowley_," Dean's green eyes were begging him. He didn't want to believe this angel, this person whom he had come to look upon as a brother, could betray them. Cas looked to Ris. She had always trusted him. Her eyes were unwavering.

"We're waiting, Cas," she said in a soft tone, menace underlying it. Cas looked away. He had no allies here.

"You son of a bitch," Dean whispered, pain flashing over his face.

"Let me explain!" Cas pleaded.

"You and Crowley have been going after Purgatory _together_?" Dean spat, "You have, huh?"

"I did it to protect you. I did it to protect _all_ of you!" he looked around at the faces of the hunters in the room. They _had_ to understand. Ris, her face usually so calm and serene, was looking at him with disgust. He had done to worst possible thing he could have done. He had broken her trust.

"Right, because releasing the souls of millions of _monsters_, the things we _hunt_, will _protect_ us," Ris said sarcastically, storming forward.

"One drop got through and it was _Eve_," Bobby added, "and you want to break the entire dam?!"

"It's about the souls," Cas said.

"Right, because more souls means more power. More power for you, more power for Crowley. It's all the f*cking same with you angels. You all want power. It's never enough!" Ris hissed.

"I can stop Raphael! I just need the souls. _Please_, you have to trust me!"

"Trust you?" Sam scoffed, "how in the hell are we supposed to trust you now?!"

Ris shifted her weight, hooking her thumbs in her beltloops as she surveyed the angel coldly, waiting for his response.

"I'm still me! I'm still your friend!" he promised. "Sam..I am the one who raised you from perdition."

Everybody stilled. Ris blew out a low whistle.

"And you decide to spring this on us now? Hell of a timing, Castiel," Ris drawled.

"You did a pretty piss-poor job of it," Sam told him. Castiel flinched, nearly imperceptibly. "Wait," Sam straightened, "Did you bring me back soulless on purpose?"

Ris turned her eyes to the angel.

"How could you think that?" Cas looked almost offended.

"I'm thinking a lot of things right now, Cas," Sam defended himself.

"Listen. Raphael will kill us all," Castiel finally said, "He'll turn the world into a graveyard. I had no choice."

Ris bristled and opened her mouth, but Dean beat her to the punch.

"No, you had a choice, you just made the wrong one."

"You don't understand. It's complicated," Cas decided. Ris let out a bark of mirthless laughter, her eyes were icy.

"It's not, actually. And you _knew_ it was wrong, Cas. Or you wouldn't have tried to hide it from the rest of us," she told him evenly.

"When crap like this comes around, we _deal_ with it, like we always have," Dean said, "What we _don't_ do is go out and make another deal with the f*cking Devil!"

"It sounds so simple when you say it like that," Cas murmured.

"Because it _is_ simple, Cas! It's wrong!" Ris stormed at him.

"Where were you when I needed to hear it?" Cas ignored her.

"I was there. Ris was there. Where were _you_? You should have come to us for help, Cas," Dean shook his head, trying to dispel the lump in his throat.

"Maybe," Cas acknowledged. The wind outside picked up. "It's too late now. I can't turn back. I can't."

"It's _not_ too late!" Dean disagreed, "Damn it, Cas! We can fix this!"

"Dean!" Cas's voice rose, "It's not broken!"

Ris winced at his words.

"If that's what you really think, Cas, then it _is_ too late. You're too far gone," she stated. Cas glanced out the window. Black smoke was silhouetted against the moon.

"Run! You have to run! Now!" he roared.

Dean looked around as the building shook. Bobby was towing a reluctant Ris towards the door. She sent him one last look before Bobby pulled her away.

* * *

That night, Ris was camped on the air mattress up in Bobby's spare room. Piles of musty old volumes surrounded her. A rush of cold air over her bare arms made her stir. Her eyes snapped open when Cas spoke.

"You don't pray any more."

She rolled off of the bed, fumbling for her gun. "Your gun won't stop me," Cas pointed out. Her gray eyes were wild as she clutched the cold metal.

"Well, it makes me feel better," she snapped. The two stared at one another for a long moment. Ris's chest was rising and falling steadily. "How the hell did you even get in here? We put sigils-"

"You missed a few things," Cas said simply. Ris scoffed as she rose on bare feet.

"Great, thanks for pointing it out. You can go now," she said venomously. Cas looked at the floor.

"I need you to understand, Briseis. Raphael was going to take over Heaven. I had to stop him."

She sighed deeply, running a hand through her curls, still damp from her earlier shower.

"That doesn't make it right, Cas. Crowley is going to betray you. You're biting off more than you can chew," she told him.

"I am an angel-" Cas bristled.

Ris clocked him in the face. They both froze. Neither of them had been expecting her to do that. Ris cradled her hand. "I shouldn't have come to you," Cas said, not meeting her gaze. She lifted her eyes to meet his.

"I loved you, Cas, but you've lost your way."


End file.
